Innholdsfortegnelse for #359 19-05 i Just Bikes

BMW Motorrad stole the limelight from Ducati at EICMA this past November when they unveiled the updated version of their S 1000 RR. Making its world premiere at EICMA, the new S 1000 RR sees BMW’s flagship Superbike receive its second major update since it was launched in 2009. Delivering more power with less weight, the S 1000 RR’s engine, frame and suspension are all-new, with improved geometry and changes to the rider assistance systems, a full LED lighting package and a next-gen TFT instrument display. ENGINE IMPROVEMENTS While the S 1000 RR’s driving force remains an inline four of 999cc capacity, it now delivers more power and does so with less weight. Maximum power is now 152kW at 13,500rpm, an improvement of 6kW over the current model, with a…

Triumph has added two all-new Scramblers to their range for 2019, with the ‘Scrambler 1200 XC’ and ‘Scrambler 1200 XE’ unveiled in November. Both are based on the latest Bonneville 1200, but each has a different spec and character, with the XC described as having an “all-road and off-road” focus, while the XE is more of a dedicated off-road machine. Powerplant is the High Power version of the 1200cc Bonneville motor, delivering 66kW at 7400rpm, but for the new Scramblers, this parallel twin with ride-by-wire throttle has been tuned to deliver ‘high torque’ both off road and on, with a maximum 110Nm at 3950rpm. In harmony with this, the high-mount exhaust system, with stainless steel headers and brushed finish stainless steel silencers, has been tuned to deliver what Triumph says…

With the MotoGP title already decided before the GP circus came to Australia, you could be forgiven for thinking the Australian round of this year’s championship would be anticlimactic. Nothing was further from the truth, with drama and a near disaster in the premier class, as well as a number of individual battles and a drought-breaking win. The MotoGP action was reflected in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories, both of which were still alive coming to Phillip Island. The Moto2 title was close, but Moto3 was much tighter, with a single point separating the top two riders. Beyond the racing attractions, a number of new spectator initiatives this year, like grandstand modifications, more paddock access and new pre-fabricated tents for campers, may have helped draw extra spectators. Regardless of what…

When Suzuki launched the mid-capacity V-Strom 650 (DL650) in 2004 the bike became an immediate sales success. The V-Strom essentially combined the chassis of a roadbike with the appearance of an adventure bike, and it proved to be just what the market wanted. Over the years the V-Strom has seen several upgrades and it’s now into its third generation. The latest Suzuki V-Strom is available in two models: the V-Strom 650 ABS and the V-Strom 650XT, which is equipped with wire spoke wheels, handguards and an under-engine cowl. Both models are also available in power-restricted, Learner Approved configuration. THEN – 2004 The Suzuki engineers raided the parts bin when they set about developing the V-Strom DL650. The mid-capacity adventure bike’s 645cc 90° V-twin was a retuned SV650 engine while the…

Against more than 300 Harley-Davidson dealers from 30 countries, Bangkok Harley-Davidson won this year’s ‘Battle of the Kings’ (BotK) international custom bike build-off. Dubbed ‘The Prince’, the winning bike from the Thailand Harley dealer beat out custom creations from dealerships throughout Europe, South Africa, Central and South America, India, the Middle East and Asia (Note: North American dealers were not eligible for the competition). AUSSIE FINALIST As reported in JUST BIKES #358, 17 dealerships in Australia and New Zealand took part, too, with Adelaide Bike Works Harley-Davidson winning the Oceania leg with their racer-inspired creation ‘Back to the Track’. Along with the other regional finalists, Back to the Track was shipped to Milan for the BotK final at the EICMA motorcycle show in November, where the winner would be announced.…

Australia’s Josh Hook will be part of the inaugural FIM Enel MotoE World Cup that gets underway at Jerez next May. The 25-year-old from NSW has been signed by the Pramac team, alongside the experienced Alex de Angelis. Hook will balance the MotoE series with the World Endurance Championship, where he was part of the 2017-18 championship-winning Honda F.C.C. TSR team. “I’m thrilled to be with Alma Pramac Racing on this new MotoE adventure,” said Taree-born Hook. “The 2019 season will be the first of many years for this new category and represents a great opportunity for me. I am very grateful to the team for believing in my ability and I am sure that we can get great satisfaction. “MotoE is something new for everyone, so it will be…

When it comes to supernakeds, BMW lifted the bar when it launched the S 1000 R back in 2014, and with a long list of updates landing in 2017 this latest model is better than ever. The S 1000 R shares the same 999cc engine as its S 1000 RR superbike brother, albeit detuned for more flexible on-road riding. In the supernaked, this inline four makes a claimed 165hp (121kW) of power at 11,000rpm and 114Nm of torque at 9250rpm, all packed into a package that weighs just 205kg fully fuelled and ready to ride. But the specs don’t tell the whole story: the engine is an absolute cracker, with wellsorted fuelling delivering seamless throttle response throughout the rev range, and while the standard lightweight Akrapovic exhaust keeps noise to…

The 2018 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) saw France take out the “Olympics of Motocross” for the fifth straight year, narrowly winning against strong teams from Italy and the Netherlands. This year’s 72nd MXoN saw 30 teams from around the world descend on Redbud in Michigan, USA. Team France, the defending champion, was led by Gautier Paulin in MXGP (who’s been part of the winning squad for the past four years), with Dylan Ferrandis in MX2 and Jordi Tixier in the Open class. The strong Dutch squad comprised Glenn Coldenhoff (Open), Calvin Vlaanderen (MX2) and this year’s MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings. Team USA was made up of Justin Barcia (Open), Eli Tomac (MXGP) and Aaron Plessinger (MX2), while fellow Americans, Kevin Windham, Ryan Sipes and Travis Pastrana,…

It’s been a long time coming, but Yamaha’s all-new Tenere 700 has finally been released. Following the ‘T7’ concept presented at EICMA in 2016 and the ‘World Raid’ prototypes that have been ridden around the globe this year, the production version made its debut at EICMA in November. Reviving a name from Yamaha’s past, the new Tenere 700 remains true to the original’s adventure-ready ethos, but features a bunch of new millennium technologies and distinctive styling. Speaking of styling, the production bike differs from the T7 in a number of areas, including the side plastics and tank surround, as well as the tail treatment and engine bash plate design. The distinctive quad headlight set-up remains, though. Inspired by Yamaha’s rally raid bikes, the all-LED arrangement is supported by dual position…

Sandro Cortese is the FIM Supersport World Champion for 2018, winning the title at his first attempt. In what proved to be a dramatic finish to the season, the German won after main rival Jules Cluzel (NRT Yamaha) crashed out on the final lap of the final race. A Moto3 champion (in 2012), Cortese came to World Supersport (WSS) this year after five seasons in Moto2 with limited success but was something of a last-minute addition to the field, only securing a ride with Kallio Racing on the eve of the opening round of the 2018 WSS season at Phillip Island. At that season opener, Cortese proved to be a fast learner, impressing with his pace and race craft to finish third on debut. From there, the German took another…

An amazing finale to this year’s fifth annual Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup has seen Australia’s Billy van Eerde crowned champion after the series went right down to the wire and was ultimately decided by a post-race penalty. Hailing from Singleton, NSW, van Eerde was only 15 years old when this year’s six-round ATC series got underway, but the teenager was fast from the off, winning the second of two races held at the season opener at Qatar’s Losail circuit - the first-ever ATC race win for an Aussie. That was followed by third- and second-place finishes at the next round at Buriram in Thailand, which placed the Aussie second overall on 70 points behind series leader, Japan’s Haruki Noguchi on 95 points. At the next round at Sepang in July,…

With new bikes, new riders and new teams, there are plenty of reasons to get to the 2019 Australian round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship. And with tickets for the Aussie round now on sale, there’s no excuse not to start getting yourself organised. Scheduled for 22 – 24 February, the Yamaha Financial Services Australian WSBK round will also see the new ‘three-race’ format (see JUST BIKES #358) make its debut, where the Saturday and Sunday 22-lap Superbike events will be joined by a sprint race on the Sunday morning. Pre-purchase your tickets and you’ll save on the gate price, with a pre-purchased three-day General Admission ticket just $120, or $230 when you upgrade your GA ticket to a camping package. The popular Bar SBK ticket is just…

Spend some time reviewing the creations of Kaichiro Kurosu of Cherry’s Company and you realise this Japanese craftsman doesn’t do things by halves. When tasked by Harley-Davidson with customising the 750cc version of their Street v-twin, he didn’t just customise it; he pretty much rebuilt it! In fact, if it wasn’t for the identifying tank badge and signature v-twin under that sinuous polished framework, most would fail to pick that this creation started life as a Harley-Davidson at all. A HISTORY IN HARLEYS Cherry’s Company has been around since 2000, but founder and owner Kurosu has been servicing, repairing and modifying Harleys for even longer. While his imagination and abilities were exposed to a wider audience in 2014 thanks to the BMW R nineT-based ‘Highway Fighter’ (see JUST BIKES #307),…

Irbitskiy Mototsletniy Zavod is a name most of you wouldn’t know, while the English translation of ‘Irbit Motorcycle Factory’ probably draws a bank, too, but we’re sure you know the motorcycles from this factory – Ural. The world’s leading manufacturer of sidecar motorcycles, IMZ-Ural originated in Russia more than 75 years ago. Born in war, Ural’s requirements of simplicity and durability back then remain a core component of the brand today, with tourers, commuters and adventure travellers alike appreciating the toughness and go-anywhere ability of the Ural design. Employed and enjoyed in many countries outside its homeland, Urals have built up a dedicated following here in Australia, and as IMZ-Ural’s business has grown and evolved, so too has that of the Australian importers, Ural Australia. To find out more about…